This chapter has been updated and revised from the original.

Chapter 2: Tartarus

Am I… dreaming?

The single thought seemed to echo, sounding distant and unreal in the void that the consciousness of Arisato Minato inhabited. Minato was faintly aware of his body, and when he squeezed his hand tightly into a fist the sensation only felt surreal as a minor portion of the normal sensitivity was felt. When he raised his arm it seemed to leave an afterimage, even when he moved it as slowly as he could. Looking about he couldn't see anything; darkness being the only thing that filled his vision. Frowning, Minato wondered if he had died. He remembered Yukari bursting into his room, running up the stairs, going onto the roof, and then... and then... What happened after that? The infinite darkness that occupied the mind suddenly grew hazy, and slowly became clearer. The memory of fighting with the Shadow and summoning something called a... Persona! Yes, a Persona. After the memories came a sudden awareness of his surroundings, Minato's brain working overtime to pick out the faint images and instincts that gradually came into existence. A round table, the sound of objects flying past at high speeds, a single, no, two presences, and… a piano?

The darkness was replaced by a blue room, or more accurately, the space in an elevator shaft. A single round table covered with blue velvet sheets, a massive, golden clock whose hands told time in a blur, and two individuals, one seated at the table and the other standing beside it. A massive gate spread as far as the eye could see, and the room itself seemed to be moving up at a tremendous speed.

The man sitting at the table was old and goblin-like, with an abnormally long nose and large eyes, along with pointed ears.

The woman beside him was young, wearing a sleeveless blue dress and gloves, with short white hair that just passed beyond her ears. Her eyes were solid gold.

The man with the long nose spoke first, "Welcome to the Velvet Room. My name is Igor. I am delighted to make your acquaintance." Igor gestured to the young woman beside him with a wave of his hand. "This is Elizabeth. She's a resident here, like myself."

Elizabeth gave a polite nod at her introduction.

Igor folded both hands in front of him and held them in front of his chin. "This place exists between dream and reality, mind and matter. And only those who have signed the contract can enter this place."

"By contract... do you mean?" Minato ventured and left his thought unfinished.

Igor's waved his hand over the table and the exact contract Minato had signed the night he entered the dormitory came into existence. The folder was open and Minato's signature was written on the single page, clear as day. "Quite so." Igor's eyes narrowed. "You are destined to hone your unique ability, and you will require my help to do so. You have to do only one thing: abide by the contract, and hold yourself responsible for the choices you make."

"The power you speak of is Persona, correct?"

Igor's eyes returned to their normal, large size, and his body visibly relaxed. "Indeed. You fell unconscious after awakening to your power. Don't worry about it, though. Just relax. You're physical body is perfectly fine. In fact, you'll wake up feeling better than you ever have," Igor comforted. Igor flicked his wrist and a card appeared in his hand, which he examined closely. "I see that it was Orpheus that heeded your calling. That power is called a Persona, a manifestation of your psyche, a facet of your personality that surfaces as you react to external stimuli. You can think of it as a mask that protects you as you brave many hardships."

Minato tried to wrap his head around everything that was being said. All the talk of destiny and Personas was a bit too much information to take in at once, especially when it had to do with seemingly supernatural powers that defied all logic and reason.

"But," Igor said, his eyes becoming serious once more, "Your power is still weak… In order to strengthen it you must develop your Social Links, or your emotional ties with others. The stronger your ties, the stronger your Persona ability. You would do well to remember that."

"By emotional ties you refer to the relationships I share with people?" Minato wanted to make sure he understood everything that was being said. Igor appeared to have the habit of speaking cryptically.

"In a manner of speaking, yes. Your relationships with others determine the power of your Persona ability. And here, take this," A floating velvet key floated in front of Minato, who reached out and took it. Igor's voice took a tone of finality, "Now then Time marches on in your world. I shouldn't keep you here any longer. Next time we meet, you will come here of your own accord. Until then… Farewell…"

The blue room, table, clock, piano, Igor, and Elizabeth faded from existence, melding into one with the infinite darkness of the mind. Minato felt himself spinning, and all awareness that he had a moment ago quickly disappeared.

4/17/2009

After School

Minato Arisato slowly regained consciousness, noting the soft object that supported his body along with the sound of a ceiling fan. Minato's kept his eyes closed, focusing on learning about his environment through his other senses. A sheet is covering me. From the sound of the fan I am in a small room. The left side of my body is warmer then my right. Sunlight? Sunlight means window on left wall. But part of my left leg is cold. Shadow? Person. One? Two? Minato concentrated on his hearing. Breathing. Calm breathing. Hair brushing against the collar, but not the chair. Shoulder length hair? Who do I know that would be by my bedside in case of injury… Junpei? No, he has short hair. Mitsuru? No, hair is too long. Ah. Yukari.

Curious to see if his deductions were correct Minato opened his eyes and glanced to his left, seeing a window with sunlight streaming through along with Yukari sitting in a chair, her shadow covering his left leg.

Yes! Minato did an imaginary fist pump at his accurate deductions.

The shift of movement caught Yukari's attention, her emotions a mixture of surprise and relief. "You're awake! Thank goodness you finally came to…" Yukari smiled, covering her mouth with both hands, joy seeping into every motion she made.

"I'm in the hospital," Minato said deadpan, half to himself and half to Yukari, immediately reaching over and tapping a button without a second thought.

Yukari slowly calmed down, her joy expressing itself in all the wrong ways. "How much time do you need?! It's been a whole week! Do you know how worried I was about you?"

Minato looked at her in disbelief. It was one thing to wake up in a hospital but it was another to find a cute girl who you've only known for a few days to be by your bedside when you do. Is she mad at me? But she said she was worried and was happy a moment ago… Don't tell me… Tsundere?! Minato didn't dare say that word aloud, fearing the wrath that it may bring.

Yukari didn't wait for a reply as she spoke faster. "The doctor didn't find anything wrong with you, just said you were exhausted. The cut on your back seemed to heal right up, too." She spoke faster and faster, her sentences blurring and sounding like a single continuous sentence. "But you kept sleeping and sleeping and sleeping. You know how worried I was? I mean, who sleeps for an entire week? Do you have any idea how worried I was about you? Like, any at all? I came here right after school every day to the end of visiting hours and skipped out on Archery Club the whole week. Do you know what people are saying about us?"

Minato couldn't formulate an answer as the thought, Definitely tsundere… echoed endlessly in his mind.

Yukari forced herself to calm down and took a few seconds to calm her racing heart. "I-I'm sorry I couldn't do anything," Yukari's voice became quiet, the atmosphere immediately changing, "Even though Kirijo-senpai asked me to protect you I…" Her voice cracked. "I…"

Minato sat up, feeling the change in mood. "It's okay. I'm used to being alone. I can take care of myself," Minato gave her a sad, lonely smile.

Yukari felt a lump grow in her throat. She stood up and looked out the window at the falling sun. "I… wanted to tell you that… Well… I'm kinda like you." Why is there a lump in my throat?

"I can't say I understand," Minato shook his head, frowning, not grasping the meaning behind her words.

"I'm like you in that… I don't have any parents. You see, my dad died in an accident when I was little… and my mom and I haven't seen each other in almost ten years, so we're not exactly on the best of terms."

Yukari looked back at him, a sad look in her eyes. "You're all alone too, right? I'm sorry, but I already know about your past. I read your file. Sorry."

"It's fine." Minato didn't care who read his file. He had nothing to hide or be ashamed of. And yes, he was all alone in this world. No sense in denying it.

"It didn't seem fair that you knew nothing about me, so I told myself that I'd tell you as soon as you woke up, that I'd tell you the truth. It was back in '99. There was a large explosion in the area. A lot of people were hurt and there were many that lost their lives. My dad was one of them." Yukari closed her eyes, feeling the moisture building up as she remembered memories long past. "He was working in a lab run by the Kirijo Group."

"Is Kirijo-senpai connected to them?" Minato asked, wanting to see if Kirijo Mitsuru was indeed connected to the Kirijo Group and that this was the reason for Yukari's almost hostile attitude towards her.

Yukari gave a curt nod, confirming Minato's suspicions. "I'm hoping that if I stick around in S.E.E.S. long enough I'll find something, a clue about what really happened to my dad. That's why I'm at Gekkoukan High and why I was with you on that roof top. Of course, I panicked and wasn't much help… It was my first time fighting them, too." Yukari looked at Minato with a guilty expression. "I'm sorry… You wouldn't have to go through all this if I wasn't such a coward…"

Minato saw in her eyes a guilt that exceeded that of which a mere "I'm sorry" could cure. The guilt she felt had been haunting her for over a week, and Minato being unconscious and hospitalized didn't help. Minato got off the bed and stood next to her, looking out the window. "It's not your fault. Really. It's natural to be afraid."

"Thanks… but… you weren't afraid?"

Minato's eyes looked far away beyond the horizon. "Afraid? Afraid of what? Death?" Minato's expression grew emotionless as he looked into Yukari's eyes. "Death isn't so scary after you've experienced it firsthand." If he were to be honest he was more worried about everyone else.

Yukari stood there, shocked. How could he say such a thing? After what happened to him- She stopped. Remembering that she knew but didn't know what he had been through. That he has experienced problems that she couldn't imagine. The same went for her. "Anyways," Yukari spoke uneasily, "Thanks for listening. I've wanted to share that story with someone for a long time."

Giving a kind smile Minato said gently, "I'm glad that you told me. And thanks for being here when I came to."

Yukari picked up her school bag and flashed a smile, the gloomy atmosphere dispelled in a second. "If I'll be honest it was more for my sake than for yours. Alright, I'm going to head out now. I'll let the others know you woke up." Yukari then gave Minato the same expression that made a chill go down his spine and think, This can't be good.

"You better take it easy, okay? Be a good patient and get back in bed! And don't hesitate to call the nurse! I'm sure she'll take good care of you. See you tomorrow!"

"Y-Yes, ma'am!" Tsundere's are scary!

Just as Yukari reached the door it opened and a nurse walked in, carrying a tray of food.

Yukari looked back at him, disappointment along with a boiling rage in her eyes. "You were thinking about food this entire time?! Is that why you pressed a button right after you woke up? After I tell you how worried I was the first thing you do is call for food?! Uuugggghhh! You're unbelievable!"

Yukari stormed out of the room just as Minato happily chomped down on a piece of fish, pure bliss written all over his face as he practically glowed, Yukari's anger already gone from his mind. What is wrong with that guy?!

4/18/2009

Early Morning

Minato walked towards the school gate, school bag slung over his shoulder with his other hand in his pocket spinning a ball of lint as he immersed himself in the music that came through the earphones.

"-to-san!"

Minato heard a faint voice, but decided to ignore it. There were many names that ended with "to." His just happened to also.

"-sato-san!"

The voice grew louder, and in response Minato thumbed his mp3 and turned the volume higher. It's just a coincidence, Minato reasoned.

Yukari marched towards the ignorant fool that continued to disregard her calls, fellow students looking on with curiosity as they nudged their friends. This idiot… Does he have any idea how embarrassing it is to be ignored as you yell out someone's name twice? Yukari caught up to the oblivious, blue haired boy and pulled an ear phone off, standing on her toes to place her mouth right next to his ear. "Aaaaaarrrrrrrriiiiisaaaaatooooooo…"

Minato froze in place, feeling the familiar chill down his spine as he slowly turned towards the figure that was emitting the terrifying aura. Perhaps he should have turned around when he had the chance. "G-G-Good morning, Takeba-san," Minato forced a nervous smile that even he could tell looked extremely fake.

"Good morning, Arisato-san," Yukari returned, her face glaring point blank at his.

Please don't hurt me! "Ha… ahahaha…" All Minato could manage was a nervous laugh as he was reminded that there were so many other things scarier than Death.

"You have some nerve to ignore me twice. Do you know how dumb I looked?"

After a quick glance at the nearby spectators, Minato determined that she probably looked really dumb. Minato didn't say this out loud, genuinely fearing for his well being. He did, after all, just get out of the hospital and had no intention of going back anytime soon. "N-No," was all he could muster.

"I looked reaaaaallly dumb. Anyways, go straight back to the dorm after school today, Ikutsuki-san wants to talk to you today. Meet him on the fourth floor, okay? You better not forget, or else I'll look bad." Yukari's glare intensified.

"Yes, ma'am…" Minato said sheepishly, wanting to disappear into the background.

"I didn't hear you…" Yukari whispered, her voice dangerously low.

"Y-Yes, ma'am!" Minato said louder.

"Good." Yukari took several steps forward before turning back to look at him with a charming smile. "Oh, and you look pretty good for just getting out of the hospital. Don't push yourself too hard at school today."

And with that Yukari walked into the school, leaving Minato standing frozen in place in the middle of the courtyard, a single earphone dangling around his neck.

Tsundere's are mega scary… Minato wondered for the rest of the day why he couldn't stop shivering.

After School

Minato opened the door to the only room on the fourth floor of the dorm, stepping into a large room with a large computer and monitors dominating an entire wall and several occupied chairs and sofas surrounding a coffee table in the middle of the room. It was his first time in here, and it definitely wasn't something you'd find in an ordinary dorm. Minato thought about the events that happened over a week ago and figured that there was nothing ordinary here to begin with.

Mitsuru, Yukari, a silver-haired young man in a red vest, and an older man Minato recognized as Ikutsuki in a light brown suit with glasses occupied the seats.

"Ah, there you are. I'm glad you're okay after your stay in the hospital. You gave everyone quite the scare. Anyways... Please, take a seat," Ikutsuki welcomed.

Minato sat in the closest unoccupied chair, waiting for things to continue.

Ikutsuki gestured to the silver-haired senior who gave off a cool atmosphere, "I don't believe you two have actually met. This is Sanada Akihiko. He's a senior, like Mitsuru. He's been with S.E.E.S. for quite a while now."

The senior have Minato a nod. "How's it goin'? You can call me Akihiko."

"Arisato Minato." Minato gave a formal nod. After giving Akihiko a quick up down Minato saw that his senpai had the air of confidence about him for good reason. His gray eyes held a strong, unwavering determination, and Minato had a feeling that the calm look had something to do with being highly disciplined. The silver-haired boy had a proportional build, neither lanky nor overly muscular but strong nonetheless.

With introductions complete Ikutsuki moved onto the topic that he wanted to discuss. "Okay, Minato, would you believe me if I said that a day consists of more than 24 hours?"

Minato paused for a moment, and then nodded.

Ikutsuki looked surprised as Minato explained, "At midnight no electronics work, people are replaced by coffins, the moon and sky become green. Then an hour later time continues as if the hour never happened."

"That's correct. Do you mind me asking how long you've realized this?" Ikutsuki's gaze seemed to bore into Minato's skull, trying to find out what he knew through sheer willpower alone.

Minato thought for a second. "I don't really remember. I've been aware of its existence as long as I can remember. In fact, you're the first people I've met during that time."

"I see…" Ikutsuki looked extremely disappointed in the lack of details in the information provided.

Akihiko spoke towards Minato. "You saw those creatures, right? The one you fought the other night on the rooftop? We call those creatures 'Shadows.' They only appear during the Dark Hour, and attack anyone not in a coffin."

Mitsuru handed Minato a newspaper displaying an article about recent victims of Apathy Syndrome. Minato quickly scanned it but failed to make a connection, instead looking up hoping to hear it. He wasn't disappointed when Akihiko continued speaking.

"We believe the people with Apathy Syndrome are victims of Shadows. They feed on the mind of their prey; and the prey effectively becomes a living corpse. Mindless, clueless, and helpless. They're responsible for most, if not all, of the incidents on the news." Akihiko smiled, as if presented with a challenge. "And it's our job to defeat them. Exciting, isn't it?"

"Akihiko!" Mitsuru scolded him, "You and Arisato just got injured the other day. This isn't a game!"

Ikutsuki held up his hands, requesting the two seniors to settle down. "Now, now, Akihiko does his job well. Let's return to the original topic. We are the Specialized Extracurricular Execution Squad, or S.E.E.S. for short. Officially, we're classified as a school club. In practice, we're responsible for defeating the Shadows. Mitsuru here is the leader and I am the club's advisor."

Minato wasn't sure if they could summon Persona's as well, but judging from Yukari's silver handgun they must have some method of doing so. Regardless, he asked, "How do you fight them?"

Ikutsuki crossed his legs and folded his arms. "Although rare, there are individuals who can operate and experience the Dark Hour, like all of you. Some awaken to a power that can fight the Shadows. We call that power 'Persona.' And since Shadows can only be defeated by Personas and their users the battle with them is all up to you guys."

"What about the police or the government?" Minato figured there had to be some group somewhere under the control of a government position. It seemed likely as Shadows presented a threat to society.

"Since the Dark Hour can only be experienced by a handful of individuals the rest of society would find it rather difficult to believe, don't you think?" Mitsuru pointed out. "Unless they experienced it themselves, of course. Panic would likely ensue at the threat of an unknown entity even if it were to be believed. But I digress, the knowledge of Shadows and the Dark Hour are entirely confidential to the general public. As far as I know, the Kirijo Group is the only one who have a team assembled to combat the Shadows. That would be us."

Minato nodded, coming to a conclusion. "And you want me to join, don't you?" It only made sense. Minato had a Persona and this group fought the Shadows using them. And judging from the fact there were only three active members Minato was aware of, they needed all the help they could get.

"I'm glad you're quick to understand," Ikutsuki smiled, mildly impressed.

Mitsuru pushed the briefcase that was on the table towards Minato. She easily flicked the latches open and the contents were revealed. A silver handgun identical to Yukari's, a holster, as well as a red armband that had the abbreviation "S.E.E.S." written in English. "We've prepared an Evoker for you."

"What's this... Evoker supposed to do?" Minato asked, holding up the silver handgun that he recognized as nothing more than a model.

"Summoning a Persona requires a sense of extreme stress; the Evoker is merely a tool to induce such conditions. After all, imitating the act of suicide is no small act," Mitsuru gave a grim smile.

Minato noticed Yukari look away uncomfortably.

"I see… I understand. I'll help," Minato said confidently with no hint of doubt. Minato always believed that his experiencing the Dark Hour had a purpose. Perhaps this was it.

Everyone in the room looked visibly relieved, Yukari letting out the breath that she had been unconsciously holding in.

Yukari gave him a grateful expression. "I was afraid you'd say no… Welcome aboard!"

Ikutsuki nodded in satisfaction, pleased with the outcome of the meeting. "Thank you. We are all grateful for you assistance. Oh, I almost forgot about your room assignment. Why don't you just stay here, in your current room? I don't know what the holdup is, but I guess it worked out in the end."

Ikutsuki started laughing, the students confused and eyeing him as if he were crazy.

Minato sighed, believing he would never get used to Ikutsuki's horrendous 'jokes.' Minato froze when he heard a sudden, mysterious voice in his head. Thou shalt have our blessing when thou choosest to create a Persona of the Fool Arcana… Minato looked around to see if anyone else appeared to have heard it, and, not seeing anything, thought back to what Igor had referred to as Social Links.

Dark Hour

A boy with pale blue eyes sat beside Minato's bed, watching the young man's peaceful expression as he slept.

Minato stirred as he sensed a presence and opened his eyes.

The boy with pale blue eyes chuckled, a mysterious sound. "Hi, how are you? We've met before."

"Ah," Minato recalled the boy who gave him the contract. "Wait, how'd you get in here?"

The young boy chuckled softly. "I'm always with you. But soon, the end will come. I remembered, so I thought I should tell you."

Minato furrowed his eyebrows. "The end?"

"The end of everything," the boy confirmed, "But to be honest, I don't really know what it is. Oh, and it appears that you've awakened to your power… An unusual one at that. I see it taking on many forms, yet unbound by any restrictions. It may prove to be your salvation, depending on where you end up."

The boy sounded all knowing, yet was so vague that Minato failed to draw any conclusions.

"Do you remember when we first met?" the boy asked, and continued without waiting for an answer, "I expect you to honor your commitment. I'll be watching you, even if you forget about me… Okay, see you later…"

"Wait! Who are you?"

The boy faded into the background and disappeared, Minato again realizing a second later that he had vanished.

Minato mentally kicked himself. Damn… Forgot to ask how he did that.

4/19/2009

Evening

…99… 100!

Minato lowered himself to the ground and rolled onto his back, gasping for breath as he finished his third repetition of push-ups, his pecs and arms burning.

School had passed uneventfully, although Minato did manage to get a good nap during one of the classes. That was an excellent nap… Minato mused.

There was a trio of knocks on his door.

"Hey, Arisato-san, it's me," Yukari said, "Can you come down to the lobby? Akihiko-senpai wants to talk to us."

"Yeah," Minato managed to say, "I'll be down there in a sec."

Minato stood up and grabbed the shirt that had been discarded on his bed, quickly flattening the bedding that had been disturbed. Minato happened to glance at the mirror above the sink, seeing the new scar on his right shoulder that the Shadow had given him. Stretching from the top of his shoulder blade down to his mid back, what should have been a crude gash was instead a fresh scar. Absentmindedly running a hand over the scar Minato was dumbfounded at how quickly such a wound had healed. What should have taken weeks, if not months to heal had only taken a week. Igor had been right, Minato woke up feeling better than he ever had.

Minato opened the door and stepped into the hallway, seeing Yukari leaning against the wall directly opposite of his door.

Minato looked at her. "Yo, Takeba-san," Minato casually greeted.

Yukari looked at him, her cheeks slowly growing pink. "Y-yo..."

"What?" Minato asked as he slipped his shirt over his head, "Aren't we going downstairs?"

"H-Huh? O-Oh… Yeah…" Yukari turned quickly and walked down the hall towards the staircase.

Yukari flashed back to Minato standing there shirtless. Despite his lanky appearance he's actually pretty muscu- Aaaaggghhh Yukari what are you thinking?! Yukari resisted the urge to bash her head against the wall.

The pair walked down the staircase, meeting with Akihiko near the front entrance.

"Okay, we're here. So, what's this about?" Yukari asked, finally having calm down enough to speak normally.

"There's someone I wanna introduce." Akihiko opened the front door and called out, "Hey, what's taking you so long? Hurry up!"

A familiar voice complained from outside. "Give me a sec' will ya? This is freakin' heavy."

Just as Yukari and Minato recognized who the voice belonged to, a familiar individual wearing a baseball cap and sporting a goatee walked into the dorm carrying a pair of luggages.

"E-Eeeehhhhh?!" Yukari's face was filled with shock while Minato just stared blankly at her.

What an amusing expression. Minato found that Yukari's expressions never grew old.

"J-Junpei?! Why are you here?" Yukari shouted, demanding an answer. Realization dawned on her as she shook her head and turned to Akihiko. "No way... Don't tell me…"

"This is Iori Junpei from Class 2-F. He'll be staying here as of today," Akihiko explained.

Oh. Junpei's here. Minato finally became aware the significance of Junpei's appearance.

"Heyyyy guys. How's it goin'?" Junpei gave a wide grin.

"It's going good," Minato said straight faced.

Yukari gave Minato a light punch. "Don't go along with him! And he's staying here?! You've gotta be joking. Wait… that means…"

Akihiko nodded. "Yeah, it's just as you think. He has the Potential. I bumped into him the other night, told him about us, and he agreed to join."

Yukari refused to believe it. "You… have the Potential? Seriously?!" She turned toward Minato once more. "Slap me. Tell me this isn't real."

Minato looked at her blankly, blinked a few times, and put his hand on her cheek.

"D-Don't just put your hand on my face! I said to slap me out of this whacky dream!" Yukari turned crimson as she slapped Minato's hand away.

Junpei laughed, scratching the back of his head. "Man you two sure grew close. But yeah, Akihiko found me by the convenience store, surrounded by a bunch of coffins and crying my eyes out."

"Ah," Minato made a sound, understanding, "Midnight snack?"

"Exactly dude!" Junpei held up a hand for a high five.

Minato stared at it.

Junpei slowly lowered his hand and tried to play it off. "I-I don't remember much, but man, it was embarrassing. Although, Akihiko did say it was completely normal. You know the bein' confused and not remembering anything part. Did ya guys know that?" Junpei asked as he attempted to smoothly, but failed to, one up Yukari and Minato.

"Didn't happen to me," Minato said matter-of-factly. I just slept for a whole week… It was great…

"Pssshhh," Junpei waved a hand exaggeratedly, "Big deal. But man, was I surprised to hear about you guys, I never would have guessed." Junpei gave Minato a friendly punch on the shoulder. "But I bet you guys are super stoked about me joinin' right?!"

"Not really," Minato and Yukari said.

"Man… you guys are on the same wavelength so much it's scary."

Akihiko merely stood off to the side as the exchange went on. "Alright you guys, enough with the ill-needed introductions." He smiled, pleased about the idea he had been tossing around for a while. "It seems like we have enough people to finally start exploring that place."

"Oh, we doing something already?" Junpei asked, excited, "Awesome!"

"By that place… do you mean?" Yukari's voice trailed off.

"Yeah, I do. We'll go there tomorrow. For tonight just focus on getting settled in Junpei."

"Roger that!" Junpei saluted, grinning like an idiot.

4/20/2009

Lunchtime

The final bell for the lunch break rang and was followed by sighs of relief, groans, and the almost instantaneous flow of conversations between the students of Class 2-F. The majority were heading out to purchase lunch from the cafeteria or meet up with friends from other classes while a minor few remained in the classroom. Minato, Yukari, and Junpei belonged to the minority.

"Oh man," Yukari let out a yawn she had been holding in for the entire last period. "I thought I was gonna fall sleep in there..."

Junpei got out of his seat and walked forward a few steps, leaning on Minato's desk. "Tell me about it. I don't understand why we need to know this Composition stuff anyways. Not like we're gonna use it throughout our lives."

"Please, you're just saying that because you actually fell asleep during lecture," Yukari rolled her eyes at him. "And that, Stupei, is one of the many, many reasons how you've earned that nickname."

"Hey," Junpei said with a serious look. He had no idea when Yukari had even started calling him that name. It just sort of... happened. "I resent that. Besides, you have no right to say that to me. Just take a look at this guy right here." Junpei pointed at the mess of blue hair next to his leg.

Minato chose that moment to raise his head and glanced around with a dazed look before rubbing his eyes on is uniform sleeve. "Huh? What? School finally over?"

"Sorry bud," Junpei broke out the bad news, "It's only lunchtime. Still have the entire second half to get through if you want to head on home."

Minato groaned and his head slumped back onto the desk. "Wake me up when school's over," Minato requested, exhaustion taking hold of him once more.

Yukari shook her head and sighed. "All I can say in Arisato-san's defense is that he got every question right whenever the teachers called on him."

"Yeah, what's up with that, Minato?" Junpei gave Minato a playful nudge.

"Lucky guesses," came the muffled reply.

"Can I have a minute, you three?"

Yukari and Junpei turned to the unexpected voice, Minato not even bothering to move.

Mitsuru had entered the classroom unnoticed thanks to the amount of traffic in and out of the classroom. The door opening and closing had become background noise to the inhabitants at this point.

"Come to the lounge when you get back to the dorm. I have something I need to tell everyone," Mitsuru said in a manner more attune to an order than a request.

"Oh," Junpei's eyes took on a glint of excitement. "Are we having a talk about that?" Junpei had no idea exactly what "that" was, but for whatever reason he found himself getting very anxious whenever anything involving club activities popped up in a conversation.

"I'll save the details for later," Mitsuru dodged Junpei's question with relative ease. "Until then, use the rest of your time at school wisely." Mitsuru left without another word, gone as suddenly as she had arrived.

"Wow..." Junpei muttered, "She sure doesn't waste time, does she?"

"You can say that again. She's probably busy with things like Student Council, unlike us," Yukari said with an uncaring tone.

"Whoa whoa whoa, Yuka-tan!" Junpei verbally prodded. "Is that some hostility I'm getting here?"

Yukari opened her mouth to speak, trying to formulate a response. "Well... it's not that I don't like her... She's just..." Yukari let out an angry sigh and never found a proper way to answer.

"She's just... what?" Junpei ventured before an 1000 yen bill was waved in front of his face.

"Junpei, go get me a drink or something. You can get yourself something too," Minato muttered, his head still placed on his desk.

"Ohoho! You got it Minato!" Junpei bolted out of the room, completely forgetting about the Yukari's interrogation.

Seeing the tall-lanky guy leave the room Yukari let out another sigh, although this one was out of relief. "Thanks Arisato-san. He was beginning to really drive me up the wall there. Although you didn't have to give him money to get him to leave."

"It wasn't my money," Minato answered without raising his head.

"It wasn't your... What?!" Yukari stood up in shock. "Then who's did you-"

Minato raised his hand, Junpei's wallet held firmly in his grasp.

"Ohhhhh... You're good," Yukari laughed, legitimately impressed.

After School

"Hey guys I seem to be missing 1000 yen..." Junpei finally said after they had just returned to the dorm. He'd noticed at the station when he had to take out his rail card for the monorail that a single bill was missing from his already sad looking wallet. "Do you guys have any idea what might have happened to it?"

Yukari didn't answer since she was too busy trying to muffle her laughter as they began ascending the stairs.

"Don't know what to tell you, Junpei," Minato said with a serious expression. "The only tip I have for you is to keep a hand on your wallet."

"That's the thing though..." Junpei thought deeply as he recounted the events in school. "I don't ever remember taking my wallet out at school."

"Maybe you got pick pocketed."

"Nah there's no way that could have happened," Junpei denied fervently. "I would have totally noticed if something like that had happened."

Yukari's sides began to hurt but she succeeded in subduing her laughter, only an impish grin occasionally breaking out on her face as they reached the fourth floor.

Minato opened a door to the Command Room and held it open as Yukari and Junpei entered. Taking a habitual look around before entering himself Minato closed the door behind him.

Mitsuru and Akihiko were already seated in the room along with Ikutsuki, who looked up and gave a pleasant smile at their arrival. The three juniors made their way to the group and took their usual seats.

"Now that everyone is present I'd like your undivided attention," Iktusuki requested as all eyes rested on him. "For a long time Mitsuru and Akihiko were the only Persona-users we had. But recently the number of S.E.E.S. members has jumped to five with the addition of you three. With this sudden rise in manpower starting tonight at 12:00 AM, at the beginning of the Dark Hour, I'd like to commence the indefinite operation of the exploration of Tartarus until further notice."

Junpei raised a hand, speaking as he did so. "Um... So I know I asked this yesterday but what's this Tartarus thing again? We're not talking about a type of toothpaste... are we?"

"You're telling me you haven't seen it, Junpei?" Yukari asked, mildly surprised.

Junpei raised both hands, palms open. "Sorry, can't say I have."

"Neither have I," Minato added, not wanting to make Junpei feel like he was left out. Not that Minato had seen Tartarus either.

"It's no surprise really," Ikutsuki reasoned. "It only appears during the Dark Hour, after all."

"The Dark Hour, huh?" Junpei muttered, interested in the prospect that some things only appeared during that time.

"Just like the Shadows," Akihiko related Tartarus to the supernatural beings that made the phenomenon easier to comprehend. "It also happens to be the perfect place for us to train. In a way you can think of Tartarus as a Shadow nest. They appear there in greater numbers than they ever will outside of it."

"A nest, huh?" Junpei said thoughtfully. "So it's basically a target rich environment then, right?"

"Do we know why the Shadows are present in a higher concentration in Tartarus?" Minato asked, more curious than anything else. Minato knew it was presumptuous of him to think that S.E.E.S. had all the answers, even though he already knew they didn't.

Mitsuru shook her head. "Our knowledge on Tartarus is close to nonexistent. The nature of Tartarus and it's connection to Shadows remains to be discovered."

Yukari asked a more sensible question that had an actual answer before the conversation continued, "But, senpai... Your injury hasn't healed yet has it?"

Mitsuru answered for her silver-haired friend, knowing that he'd brush the injury off like it wasn't a big deal. "Since Akihiko hasn't made a full recover yet he'll only accompany us to the entrance. He'll remain there until everyone else from exploring Tartarus."

Mildly upset that Mitsuru beat him to the punch Akihiko grumbled, "Yeah, I know..." On the inside, however, Akihiko was more disappointed that Mitsuru assigned him to stand by while everyone else had all the fun.

As if he weren't aware of the aggravation the injury was causing Akihiko Ikutsuki continued speaking. "Well, I'm sure he won't complain as long as you don't venture too far in. Since we're dealing with Shadows Tartarus, the nest of Shadows, can't be avoided in our fight against them."

"Relax," Junpei assured the rest of S.E.E.S., "I've got your backs covered."

"I'm not so sure about all of this..." Yukari spoke her mind, sharing her sentiments with the rest of the team. She was mostly concerned with the actual fighting, though. Yukari was afraid she'd be nothing more than a liability given her performance on the roof last week. Most of all she feared that someone would get hurt again because of her.

"Nothing ventured, nothing gained," Minato told Yukari in a matter-of-fact tone. "Won't figure anything out if we don't begin taking risks."

Yukari conceded with a sigh. "You're absolutely right..." If Yukari wanted to find out anything about her Father's death, she needed to take a step into danger and overcome her fear. And that step began with entering Tartarus and discovering the secrets it held within.

"As the Chairman said we're commencing the operation once the Dark Hour begins. However, we'll meet in the lobby at 11:40. It will take some time to travel to Tartarus' location before the Dark Hour actually occurs," Mitsuru set a deadline, wanting to have as much time as possible for the operation later tonight. "Until then get some rest and do what you originally had planned for the evening. Dismissed."

Late Night

Everyone had boarded the empty monorail, not speaking a word as they headed to Tatsumi Port Island. The seniors had led the way, juniors following close behind glancing at the familiar scenery that they passed on a daily basis. It wasn't until S.E.E.S. reached their destination that Junpei couldn't take it anymore.

"Um… Senpai? Why are we here?" Junpei asked shortly after they had come to a stop.

"Because this is where Tartarus is," Mitsuru said in a tone that allowed no rebuttal.

"I get that but… Why does it have to be our school?!"

"Relax, Junpei. It's almost midnight," Akihiko said patiently, trying to use his calm appearance as an example for his kouhai to mirror.

Minato yawned, also wondering why he had to come back to school, a question that he never failed to ask himself every day.

A clock struck midnight.

Dark Hour

The changes that normally occurred only during the Dark Hour did so, but that wasn't so surprising anymore. What was surprising, however, was the change that Gekkoukan High underwent. The school shifted, fragmenting and breaking apart as it rose out of the ground, buildings that couldn't logically be underneath the school came into view, rising higher and higher, taller than any building in the world. It formed a tower akin to a twisted, dark castle and glowed an iridescent green.

Standing at the bottom, the S.E.E.S. members had to crane their necks as far back as possible in order to see the top. Even then the peak was hundreds of kilometers away and barely visible to the naked eye.

"This… This is Tartarus," Mitsuru said as the tower stopped growing, "The labyrinth that reveals itself only during the Dark Hour."

"H-Huh? Labyrinth? What's that mean?" Junpei asked to no one in particular after giving a low whistle.

"A maze with only one way to the center," Minato defined the term, just as awed as everyone else was at the incomprehensible transformation. In all his time walking around during the Dark Hour for years he had never seen or imagined something like this could happen.

"O-Oh… okay," Junpei said, still not entirely understanding. "So uh… why'd our school turn into this giant tower?"

Not finding any logical reason Minato thought, I bet it was a cool magic trick.

However, no one offered an answer to Junpei's question leading to a logical conclusion.

Junpei's shoulders sagged a little, sighing. "You guys don't know, do you?"

Mitsuru looked downcast, and after a short moment finally answered, "No… we don't."

"Well, maybe we'll find out soon enough," Akihiko said optimistically, taking the reigns and propelling the conversation forward. "We two seniors have only stepped inside, but never actually set out to explore the place. There has to be a clue in here regarding the Dark Hour."

Mitsuru shot Akihiko a piercing gaze. "I hope you know you're not joining them. I explicitly said so earlier today, did I not?"

Akihiko looked wounded and a tad scared. "O-Of course I know. I wasn't planning to join them… Alright, so before we do anything else Mitsuru and I will appoint a field leader," Akihiko said as he turned toward the three juniors.

Junpei's face lit up. "A leader? One of us? Ohhhoho… Sweet! Pick me! Pick me! Come on, you gotta pick me!"

"Uhh…" Akihiko looked away, uncertain but unwilling to say no to Junpei's over exuberant face.

Mitsuru helped Akihiko save face as she looked at Minato and said simply, "You're in charge."

Eh? Minato hid his shock and didn't know how to respond. Why couldn't Mitsuru stay in charge? She was coming with them, wasn't she? In the event she wasn't he wouldn't exactly appoint Junpei as a leader himself but why not Yukari? She had joined sooner than he had.

"Wh-What? Why him?! What makes him better than me?!" Junpei demanded, seeking the reasoning they overlooked him for the position.

"Welllll… he has fought them before," Yukari pointed out, not knowing that Minato didn't really have the brightest idea of exactly how he did what he did.

"Not only that, but there's another reason as to why he should be leader," Akihiko joined in as he pulled out his Evoker and pointed it at his head. "Can you two summon your Personas as easily as he can? You have to remember that your Personas are practically your lifeline in your battle against Shadows. If you can't summon your Persona you're as good as dead."

Yukari didn't answer as she gripped her skirt tightly. She hadn't tried ever since what happened on the rooftop. I still don't know if I can summon mine at all…

"Y-You bet I can!" Junpei said, although not with the usual amount of energy he had.

"So… Will you lead them?" Mitsuru directed the question to Minato.

Minato remained silent for a while, recalling memories that he'd rather not, before answering with a steady voice. "Yes." He couldn't exactly refuse.

S.E.E.S. marched to the tower, approaching the gigantic double doors that didn't appear to be made for humans. Looking impossibly heavy none of the juniors had any idea how they would even begin to open them, but Mitsuru just placed a hand on each door and gave a light push, the doors opening silently.

Taking their first steps into the the tower called Tartarus Minato, Yukari, and Junpei looked around with awe and curiosity.

They had entered a circular room easily twenty meters each direction, the first thing they noticed was a massive staircase in the center leading to a giant, ornately decorated golden clock propped up by two white marble pillars, the hands frozen on the XII. A dark, shimmering doorway stretching a meter and a half wide was located at the landing of the stairs where the VI on the clock would normally be. Looking straight up the ceiling to this room disappeared into the darkness, appearing to be supported by a dozen monumental sized pillars. Beyond the room was what looked to be the exterior portions of the tower, constantly shifting and moving in the distance. There were no walls separating the room and the moving exterior, only a drop that, like the ceiling, disappeared into an endless void.

As they slowly approached the stairway Minato saw a glowing clock to the left, golden like the massive one in the center, except the hands on this clock were spinning so quickly a single day would be counted in ten seconds. To the right a small platform that glowed a soothing green, a golden frame arching across the back.

"Alright guys take your pick," Akihiko said as he opened a large bag he had been carrying, forcing the juniors to take their eyes off their surroundings. "Just take one since you want to travel light. No sense in lugging around more than you can handle."

Inside were a variety of weapons. Bows, swords of varying sizes, even a pair of brass knuckles to name a few.

"Oho! Are these for us?" Junpei asked, rubbing his hands together eagerly in anticipation.

"Yes," Mitsuru said, "These are specially made by the Kirijo Group, and, when held by a Persona user, are effective against Shadows."

Yukari picked up a bow and tugged on the string, testing the draw weight, and nodded, satisfied.

"As expected of the Archery Club's Yuka-tan," Junpei commented as he picked up a large broadsword, "But bigger is better. Hey, Minato, what are you going to… eh?"

Junpei stopped as he watched Minato draw a simple hand and a half sword and pointed it at the moon, checking its edge. Minato balanced the sword horizontally on a finger, finding the balance instantly, then in a single fluid motion had it in his right hand and did a smooth, quick flourish before returning the sword to its scabbard.

Minato nodded at Mitsuru, giving his silent approval and praise to the smith.

Akihiko gave a low whistle, "Not bad, Minato, not bad at all."

Something out of the corner of his eye caught Minato's attention, and after focusing on it his eye's widened in surprise. A blue, glowing wood door stood alone in the room, connected to no physical room. But if anything in this room was actually what Minato believed, it could lead to anywhere.

Minato walked the few steps it took to reach the door and reached for the round handle, a familiar velvet key suddenly materializing in his hand. Realization dawned on him as he inserted the key into the lock and gave it a twist, the door opening on its own accord.

A piano played in the background, a soothing melody against the sound of moving at high speeds. Minato knew where the door would lead the moment the velvet key had appeared in his hand: the Velvet Room.

"I've been waiting for you," Igor, the long-nosed, short man who had given him the key said. "The time has come for you to wield your power. The tower that you are about to venture into... How did it come to be? For what purpose does it exist? Regrettably, you are not yet capable of answering these questions. That is why you must be made aware of the nature of your power."

Minato had many questions, mostly relating to how Igor was aware of Tartarus, what he was about to do, and the answers that S.E.E.S. sought to discover. But Igor's last statement was what captured his attention. "What do you mean by the nature of my power?"

"Your power is unique. Think of it like the number zero... It's empty, but at the same time holds infinite possibilities. You, my boy, are able to possess multiple Persona, and summon them as needed. And when you have defeated your enemies, you will see the faces of possibility before you. There may be times when they are difficult to grasp... But, do not fear. Seize what you have earned and your power will grow accordingly... Be sure to keep that in mind. My spare time will soon be scarce. But, please come again of your own accod. I'll tell you then about my true role... the manner in which I can best assist you. Until then... Farewell."

Before Minato could react and ask the many questions he had darkness swarmed his vision.

Minato blinked, finding himself standing where he was before touching the door leading to the Velvet Room. The door was still there, but when Minato tried reaching for the handle the key didn't materialize.

"Hey, are you okay?" Yukari poked him on the shoulder, concerned. "You kinda just zoned out for a few seconds. Are you not feeling well?"

"I'm fine," Minato answered, his mind working overdrive. They couldn't see the door. He was the only one capable of interacting with it and the Velvet Rooms inhabitants. Igor mentioned the contract Minato had signed when he had first arrived. Could that be the reason why no one else was aware of his actions? And Yukari had said "for a few seconds," meaning that the minute or so Minato had spent in the Velvet room went by much faster in comparison to reality. Time moved differently in the two spaces, similar to how the Dark Hour took no time at all for those who didn't experience it. Could it be a similar phenomenon?

Minato shook his head. They had a task on hand and he couldn't have his head in the clouds if they were heading into the unknown and possibly danger. Minato turned towards Yukari and Junpei, his usual calm eyes were replaced by a determined, serious light that almost made him unrecognizable.

Yukari remembered when she'd seen those eyes, a tingle going down her spine. Those are the same eyes he had on the night he Awakened…

"Takeba-san, Junpei, you ready?" Minato asked, a tone of command and urgency replacing his usual emotionless voice.

"Y-Yeah."

"Good. Let's go." Minato marched with purpose up the steps towards the shimmering doorway at the top of the stairs, and, after glancing at each other, Yukari and Junpei followed him.

"Junpei, left!" Minato yelled as he finished cutting through a pair of amorphous black Shadows with teal masks. They had wandered the halls of Tartarus for a few minutes without seeing any Shadows, until they reached a fork and three leaped out from the left hallway.

Junpei swung around and brought his broadsword down on the remaining Shadow, cutting it in two as four identical Shadows quickly appeared not far behind the initial three.

"Hermes!" Junpei shouted as he brought the Evoker to his head and pulled the trigger, a blue-gold knight with wings for arms slamming into the group of Shadows, resulting in them all erupting into black smoke.

"Yusha!" Junpei punched the air in triumph, "Did you see that Yuka-tan?"

Junpei turned just as Yukari loosed an arrow that nailed a flying Shadow dead center, repeating the process again and again as they swarmed down the right hallway. Yukari was making a decent dent in the numbers, but the sheer volume was too many for her to handle before they got close.

Minato jogged up to Yukari's side, leaving Junpei to handle the left hallway and pressed his Evoker against his temple. "Orpheus!"

The Persona rose out of the ground from a glowing blue circle, taking hold of the lyre on its back and playing a quick chord. A fireball suddenly erupted in the midst of the Shadows, engulfing them and the surrounding environment in flames. Shrieks died down as black smoke began to fill the hallway.

Minato guessed he took out maybe half of the Shadows, but instead of using the same attack again and finishing them off he turned to Yukari, "Takeba-san, you have to use your Persona." If she didn't get over her fear right now it would prove troublesome very quickly, and Minato wanted her to break that barrier sooner rather than later.

"I know!" Yukari shouted as she released another arrow, this one flying wide of its intended target.

"Takeba-san!" Minato said, this time with more urgency.

Yukari had a sudden flashback to the rooftop.

"If you're going to do something, do it now!"

That's right... The same thing happened a week ago. The image of Minato fending off the massive Shadow with only a bamboo shinai, shielding her with his own body, and standing up alone with her Evoker in his hand, blood seeping from a wound on his right placed the Evoker against her forehead, feeling the same uneasiness and effects that she always did. I can't have the same thing happen again. I have to do it this time.

The Shadows flew closer, swarming over one another as they crowded the corridor, rallying after half their number was burned to a crisp from Minato's attack.

Yukari's hands shook uncontrollably and she shut her eyes on reflex. Can I really do it? Or will I fail like last time, and the time before that, and before that? Doubts ran through Yukari's head like a storm. If I don't do it soon… On my own I-

Yukari's thoughts froze as she felt a weight on her shoulder. She opened her eyes and saw a hand, Minato's hand, on her shoulder.

Minato looked her straight in the eye, calm, unwavering, and gentle. His hand on her gave her it a slight squeeze.

That feeling was worth more than a thousand words of encouragement. Yukari turned away from him and faced the oncoming Shadows, an ever so perceptible smile playing across her lips. Thank you, Minato…

Yukari pulled the trigger, and a torrent of strong wind tore through the halls.

"So, how was it?" Mitsuru asked upon the party's return.

"I'm exhausted," Junpei said as he sat on the ground with a heavy thud.

After Yukari finished off the rest of the Shadows they had only encountered small pockets of Shadows every now and again. They had found the stair case leading to the next floor before Mitsuru ordered them to return using a green portal they had found earlier, appearing at the green platform in the main lobby where Mitsuru and Akihiko waited for their arrival.

"Don't worry, it's normal," Mitsuru reassured, "The Dark hour makes you become fatigued more easily. You'll get used to it eventually."

"But wow," Junpei said amazed, the adrenaline still pumping. "Haha… I never knew that I had that much power. We kicked so much ass!"

Mitsuru glanced over the other two, immediately noticing a change in Yukari from before she entered. The Yukari standing before her was more confident and self-assured than the one from earlier. The uncharacteristic light in Minato's eyes had disappeared, the normal, calm eyes had returned.

"But I'm surprised… You all did much better than I expected," Mitsuru turned towards Akihiko, teasing, "They'll catch up to you in no time, Akihiko. Especially if you just stand here all night."

"Oi! That's because someone won't allow me to do anything!"

"Oh? Are you being unappreciative of someone's concern?"

The air suddenly grew cold.

"Ahhhhahaha… Not at all," Akihiko said as he tore his gaze from Mitsuru's, sweat forming on his face. He didn't have a death wish, after all.

"I thought so…" Mitsuru turned around, smirking, and began to walk back to the dorm. "Good work tonight. Let's all go home and get some rest."

Author's Notes/Musings

Updated this chapter featuring some minor corrections, new scenes, more detail, etc. Now on to Chapter 3!